Yard MD: Gardening A to Z: Know your garden dictionary

Feb. 7, 2014

Hardy hibiscus is often referred to as a tender perennial. / ROB ZIMMER/Post-Crescent Media

Stay connected

On Twitter: Follow YardMD on Twitter for the latest news, specials and unusual plants and garden items. If Rob spots something hot, you will be the first to know. Find him @YardMD On Facebook: Enjoy and become part of the YardMD community of passionate gardeners at www.facebook.com/yardmd.

More

ADVERTISEMENT

Most gardeners, even if they won’t admit it, have terms and phrases they see in garden centers and hear from gardening experts that don’t quite make sense.

Whether you are new to the hobby or a lifelong gardener, there is something for you in our Gardening A to Z guide. I may not hit every letter, but I hope you enjoy this dictionary of gardening.

Aerating/Aeration: Loosening soil to increase the amount of air space. This can be done mechanically or manually.

Annual: A plant that completes its lifecycle in one growing season. This includes germinating, forming roots, flowering, producing seeds, then dying.

Biennial: A plant that take two growing seasons to complete its life cycle. During the first year, roots and foliage are established. Blooming and seed production occur the following year.

Compacted soil: Soil affected, usually by heavy foot traffic or repeated mowing, which reduces air space between soil particles. Causes poor drainage and increases likelihood of weeds. Correct with aeration.

Deadheading: Trimming spent blossoms from annuals and perennials before they go to seed. Often encourages new buds to form.

Dividing: Separating a plant, usually a perennial, to control size, increase bloom or propagate new plants.

Espalier: The process of “training” or encouraging a shrub, tree or vine to grow flat against a wall, fence, trellis or other surface. This is often done to encourage maximum fruit production or for ornamental purposes.

Fungicide: A chemical treatment that kills fungi or protects plants from becoming infected.

Girdle: Removal or constriction of bark or other plant material, normally around the stem or trunk of a tree or shrub restricting water and nutrient flow through the plant. Rodents often “girdle” bark from completely around the stem or trunk.

Harden off: Helping a plant adjust to cool outside temperatures. This may involve use of a cold frame, cloche or other covering.

Hybrid: Created by crossing two or more different species, subspecies or plant varieties.

(Page 2 of 3)

Insecticide: A chemical substance that kills insects.

Lasagna gardening: Also known as sheet composting. A type of raised bed garden incorporating layers of organic material, creating a no dig, no till garden space.

Mulching: Forming a layer of usually organic material around the base of a plant to help retain moisture, stabilize soil temperatures, keep weeds to a minimum and prevent heaving roots during freezes and thaws.

Native/nativar: A native is a plant or animal species historically found in a given geographic range. A nativar is a plant hybrid or cultivated variety of a native plant, or one from a different geographic area. For example, native purple coneflower is hybridized to create nativars such as Tomato Soup coneflower.

Organic matter: Created from natural plant or animal material. Often used to amend soil to improve conditions and nutrients.

Perennial: A plant that completes a new life cycle each season, often increasing in size with each passing year.

pH level: The level of acidity or alkalinity of soil. Certain plants grow better in soils of a certain pH.

Pinching: Nipping off the end of a plant branch to encourage new growth and create a fuller, bushier plant. In the case of mums and asters, this creates more bloom.

Pollinator: A means by which a plant is pollinated. This can be a living organism, such as a butterfly, bee or snail, or a non-living entity, such as the wind.

Rain garden: A plant community using native perennials and grasses with extensive root systems designed to capture and slowly filter rainwater naturally, preventing runoff of harmful chemicals directly into our lakes, streams and rivers.

Root pruning: Pruning roots of a tree, shrub or perennial either before or after planting. This can be done in-ground with a sharp tool or prior to planting (normally this is done with container perennials.)

Sport: A division of a perennial plant, especially hosta, that exhibits foliage or other traits different from the main plant.

Spring ephemeral: Short-lived, seasonal, perennial wildflowers that grow and bloom for a few short weeks each spring before the forest canopy shades the forest floor.

Tender bulb/Tender perennial: A bulb or plant that is not normally hardy in our USDA plant hardiness zone. In order to survive winter, bulb or plant should be protected, either by lifting and storing, or by heavy mulching.

Variegated: Foliage that displays multiple coloration, normally green and white, in the form of streaks, spots, marbling, or patterns. Variegated plants are often highly collectible.

Worm castings: Worm droppings. An excellent source of organic material for your garden. Contains helpful micro-organisms and nutrients to help your plants take advantage of your soil. Use in place of compost to amend soils.

Xeriscape: Xeriscaping is gardening without the need to water or irrigate, using drought-resistant plants, especially natives. Once very popular, the trend is beginning to emerge again.

Zone: The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone represents a geographic area defining where plants are able to withstand the minimum average temperature within that area. The Fox Valley is at the boundary of Zones 4 and 5. The lower the number, the more hardy, or cold-tolerant the plant. Plants rated a Zone 6 or higher will likely not survive a Wisconsin winter outdoors.